Quick Start Guide

1. Mount your Beacon to your 3D printer head, nominally 2.5mm recessed from the nozzle plane.

Info: We are reaching out to printer design teams, but a custom mount may need to be designed and printed for your machine.

Note: Beacon has a metal keep out area on the top side of the sensor, and requires special attention for mounting on a metal tool head.

2. Route USB cable along filament or umbilical and plug in to single board computer.

Warning: cable is not rated for chains and will sustain damage quickly.
Warning: sensor end connector is not hotplug rated, disconnect at USB port or power off before connecting or disconnecting.

3. Update Klipper to Beacon Fork.
>> cd klipper
>> git remote add beacon
>> https://github.com/beacon/klipper.git
>> git switch
>> beacon/master

Info: Beacon klipper is under active development and managed as a fork until the feature set is stable.

Info: We are looking into kiauh integration for git-free one-click gui management of updates.

4. Add the beacon configuration to the printer config:

[beacon]


serial: /dev/serial/by-id/usb-Beacon_RevD_<..update..>-if00


x_offset: -20 # update for machine specific mount position


y_offset: 0


mesh_main_direction: x


mesh_runs: 2

Set the safe x-y position for z homing (typically the bed center):

[safe_z_home]


home_xy_position: 107.5, 90


z_hop: 3

5. Run calibration routine.

Info: It is recommended to run with a hot bed and hot nozzle at typical print temps for the best temperature performance.
G28 home the machine.
BEACON_CALIBRATE
Proceed through a standard nozzle paper offset test
TESTZ Z=-0.01 until the paper drags.
ACCEPT
The sensor response will be automatically measured and fit to a model.
SAVE_CONFIG commit it to the config file.

6. Create a bed mesh using BED_MESH_CALIBRATE.

7. You’re now ready to print.

On the first print, you’ll want to use babystepping via the GUI to fine adjust the first layer offset.

After the print finishes, the offset can be automatically applied to the model with the Z_OFFSET_APPLY_PROBE command for future prints.